The packaging and product handling industry some package geometries can be difficult to process. One area impacted by such package geometries is the pick-up area of loading lines. Packages having a small base relative to the height, or small base relative to a large top, can be somewhat unstable, especially as a number of packages congregate and contact each other at the pick-up area. A particular problem with packages having a small base relative to height or small base relative to a large top is that they tend to tip or “shingle.” Product “shingling” is illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the PRIOR ART. Tipping or shingling can prevent the package from being picked-up by a loader.
Consequently, there remains a need in the art to prevent tipping and shingling and provide stability for the packages.
The art referred to and/or described above is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is “prior art” with respect to this invention. In addition, this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 C.F.R. §1.56(a) exists.
All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.